Coroplast fasteners

[MickLittle]

I noticed the other day while crawling under my RV that the fasteners used to attach the coroplast (Hope that's the correct name)to the frame are powder actuated pin fasteners! (Not screws) Does anyone have this as well or am I the only RV that has them. Looks like I wont be accessing behind it anytime soon!
On another note; I really enjoy this site for all the questions and answers. Love to read all the posts!!!

[JRTJH]

I've never seen a Keystone with that type of fastener on the coroplast, and I've been under a bunch of them..... Those fasteners are used to fasten the flooring to the frame and, in some fifth wheels, to fasten the aluminum superstructure to the frame outriggers and upper decking, but I've never seen them used as you indicate. Come to think about it, there's no way to gauge how tight they push into the coroplast and being plastic, it has a tendency to break when squeezed too tight. That would be a fairly unreliable way to secure the coroplast sheeting.

[MickLittle]

I was thinking the same thing. We have used these type of fasteners in my work. The fasteners do have washers under them to help for support, but I still find it odd that they used these!

[chuckster57]

I am starting to see them more often. Since the outback is the only Keystone we carry at my present job I can't say I've seen them on Keystone trailers.

[MickLittle]

Our RV is a 2016 Carbon 347. I have never ran across this on any other RV's, and I've been under a few. Maybe it's something new Keystone is starting to use. I can see the benefit for speeding up the build process, but not for access later. Seems like it would be a chore if it had to be removed for warranty reasons!

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I've never seen a Keystone with that type of fastener on the coroplast, and I've been under a bunch of them..... Those fasteners are used to fasten the flooring to the frame and, in some fifth wheels, to fasten the aluminum superstructure to the frame outriggers and upper decking, but I've never seen them used as you indicate. Come to think about it, there's no way to gauge how tight they push into the coroplast and being plastic, it has a tendency to break when squeezed too tight. That would be a fairly unreliable way to secure the coroplast sheeting.

I used power activated pins for decades. Hilti tools and pins are the best. They make sever power charges. I have used them going into wood and even steel beams. I very low charge and wide plastic washer could possibly work in this application. However, cost of a single charge and pin can be as high as $1 each which would be cost prohibitive. Additionally, a pin going into concrete or in this case steel becomes a real chore if ever needs removed. There are many different ways that makes more sense.

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

Interesting use of the fasteners, googled them and found this;
http://www.powers.com/pdfs/catalogs/..._powder_hi.pdf
Need to look down to pg. 12 before you read anything about Steel.
Still intrtrsting though.

hankaye

[Dave W]

Are they actually a Hilti type powder fastener or just big pop rivets with a special large binding head for Coroplast? I would think that a powder fastener would be cost prohibitive for the usual 'less cost is better' RV manufacturer plus open them up to possible legal problems by employees or maintenance facilities using them incorrectly.

[cw3jason]

My Montana has them. I was surprised they were not screws as well.

[gearhead]

So how do you remove them to access behind the chloroplast?
I'm thinking I would be using a die grinder and going back with self drilling self tapping screws with washers.
What are they thinking? Makes no sense.
I will say...that is one good salesman.

[dcg9381]

It makes sense if you're trying to go fast during assembly. Using those self tapping screws, it takes a while to get through the frame and more than a bit of pressure...

Good for fast assembly. Not good for future usability...

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by gearhead

So how do you remove them to access behind the chloroplast?

I'm thinking I would be using a die grinder and going back with self drilling self tapping screws with washers.

What are they thinking? Makes no sense.

I will say...that is one good salesman.

You guessed it!! PITA to grind them off and not burn/melt the coroplast. Self tapper and washer go back in.

[PerryB]

Quick and dirty. What else would you expect from Lippert?

[hankaye]

dcg9381, Howdy;

Originally Posted by dcg9381

It makes sense if you're trying to go fast during assembly. Using those self tapping screws, it takes a while to get through the frame and more than a bit of pressure...

Good for fast assembly. Not good for future usability...

Once they sell it why do they need to worry about how "User Friendly"
it is ???

hankaye

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by PerryB

Quick and dirty. What else would you expect from Lippert?

Lippert isn't the ones doing it. They just supply the frame, it's the manufacturer of the RV doing it, weather it be Keystone, Thor, Cruiser, Forest River, etc.

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

You guessed it!! PITA to grind them off and not burn/melt the coroplast. Self tapper and washer go back in.

It should drill out with a larger drill bit.

[chuckster57]

IIRC they have what looks like a nail head making it difficult at best to start the bit. Simply faster to use my small cut off wheel.

[PerryB]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Lippert isn't the ones doing it. They just supply the frame, it's the manufacturer of the RV doing it, weather it be Keystone, Thor, Cruiser, Forest River, etc.

Yeah, I guess you're right about that. I just hate Lippert and their sloppy/shoddy work so badly that I jumped the gun in talking smack about them and the garbage they shove out their doors.

[chuckster57]

Getting a bit off track: Lippert supplies a vast majority of components to most of the RV makers. Failure rates caused by shoddy, sloppy work by Lippert is VERY low.

Shoddy,sloppy work is once again more of an RV manufacturer assembly plant issue than the components themselves.

[Dave W]

Spent a few hours under our 5er today and pulled the forward belly cover off to do some mods. That cover is held in place as well as the rear cover with some pretty big drill point tapping screws - though it could probably use a few more. I'll have to get some as the biggest I have are #12-14 and those on our 5er are probably a full 1/4" or bigger. There are also some cross members (4!!) that are there to specifically help keep that front cover from sagging too badly.